The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Colocasia esculenta (popularly known as taro) named xe2x80x98Pa""lehua.xe2x80x99 xe2x80x98Pa""lehuaxe2x80x99 plants were produced by cross-pollination of the commercial cultivars xe2x80x98Ngeruuchxe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98Maui Lehua,xe2x80x99 selection of progeny for a single plant which exhibited desirable agronomic and disease resistance properties, and asexual reproduction of the selected plant using tissue culture and propagation of hulis. xe2x80x98Pa""lehuaxe2x80x99 differs distinctively from other taro plants by its unique combination or resistance to taro leaf blight (TLB) caused by Phytophthora colocasiae, tolerance to root rot caused by Pythium spp., vigorous growth, large mother corm size, and purple corm of very good poi and eating qualities.
xe2x80x98Pa""lehuaxe2x80x99 is a product of the taro-breeding program of the University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hi. The xe2x80x98Pa""lehuaxe2x80x99 cultivar was derived from a single plant which was selected from a cross between the Hawaiian taro cultivar xe2x80x98Maui Lehuaxe2x80x99 (unpatented) and the Palauan taro cultivar xe2x80x98Ngeruuchxe2x80x99 (unpatented; also referred to as P10). Ancestry of both parents is unknown, except that xe2x80x98Maui Lehuaxe2x80x99 belongs to the Group Lehua of Hawaiian-Polynesian taros and is susceptible to taro leaf blight (TLB), caused by Phytophthora colocasiae, and xe2x80x98Ngeruuchxe2x80x99 is a Microneasian taro from Palau and is highly resistant to this disease.
xe2x80x98Maui Lehua,xe2x80x99 the preferred poi taro of Hawaii, was selected as the female parent; xe2x80x98Maui Lehuaxe2x80x99 exhibits the desirable agronomic characteristics of absence of runners, less than 6 suckers per plant, and superior poi quality purple corm. xe2x80x98Ngeruuchxe2x80x99 was selected as the pollen parent for its high resistance to the taro leaf blight disease; xe2x80x98Ngeruuchxe2x80x99 exhibits undesirable vegetative proliferation by long stolons. Both parents are commercial cultivars. The initial cross-pollination of xe2x80x98Ngeruuchxe2x80x99 pollen and xe2x80x98Maui Lehuaxe2x80x99 female flowers was made to produce a new poi taro having the agronomic characteristics of xe2x80x98Maui Lehuaxe2x80x99 and the resistance to TLB of xe2x80x98Ngeruuch.xe2x80x99 F1 progeny plants (including a single plant which was later designated xe2x80x98Pa""lehuaxe2x80x99) were selected for their disease resistance to TLB, pocket rot, and basal rot, having fewer than 6 suckers and no runners, poi quality, and taste of cooked corms.
Asexual reproduction of xe2x80x98Pa""lehuaxe2x80x99 was performed in Honolulu, Hi., by apical meristem multiplication using standard tissue culture procedures [Keolanui et al. (1993) Handbook for commercial-scale taro (Colocasia esculenta) tissue culture in Hawaii. University of Hawaii, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Research Extension Series 145]. The traits of the plants which were generated by apical meristem multiplication were identical to those of the plant from which they were sexually reproduced. Cloned and rooted tissue culture plants of xe2x80x98Pa""lehuaxe2x80x99 were produced at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hi.
Rooted tissue culture plants were grown to hulis to produce plants for field-testing as follows. Rooted tissue culture plants were transplanted from rooting medium to Sunshine Mix 4 potting soil. Potting mix (10 cubic inches volume) was used per plant in Compak(copyright) 606 multi-pots 3.25xe2x80x3 deep with cell opening 2.25xe2x80x3xc3x972xe2x80x3 (T.O. Plastics Inc., 78th Street, Mpls, Minn. 55425). The Sunshine Mix 4 was mixed thoroughly with 2 lb of fast acting granular lime (The Chas H. Lilly Co, Portland, OR 97283) and 0.5 lb of Osmocote slow release fertilizer 14-14-14 (Scotts-Sierra Horticultural Products Co., 14111 Scottslawn Rd., Marysville, Ohio 43042) per cubic yard prior to use. The cells were placed in T.O. Plastics trays without holes 20.25xe2x80x3xc3x9715.75xe2x80x3xc3x972.5xe2x80x3 in size, containing a liquid nutrient solution made with one teaspoon of Peters (Scotts-Sierra) all-purpose soluble plant food 20-20-20/gallon of water. Plants were grown for 3-4 months in a greenhouse at 28xc2x0 C. until the stem base of the plants was one inch in diameter and the plants were ready for field planting.
Plants were also progated in Hakalau, Hi., by the farming practice known as huli production whereby the apical shoots are separated from the rhizomes by cutting the shoot at the top of the corm immediately above the newest leaf scar and planted. A large number of plants of the new variety have been reproduced by this method and the resulting plants have exhibited the distinguishing characteristics of the original plant which was used for asexual propagation, indicating that the new xe2x80x98Pa""lehuaxe2x80x99 cultivar is established.